European Joint Development Cooperation Strategy

(Joint Programming Document)

For the Republic of Moldova

February 2018

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1. Foreword

This European Joint Development Cooperation Strategy (Joint Programming Document) for the

Republic of Moldova1 (hereinafter referred to as "Moldova") reaffirms European development

cooperation partners'2 continued support to Moldova in addressing its key development challenges.

This Joint Strategy reflects the revised European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the Association

Agenda 2017-2019 and Eastern Partnership Priorities. The Joint Strategy builds on the Joint Analysis

that was presented to the Government of Moldova in October 2016. It is structured in line with the

European Union Single Support Framework 2017-2020. This Joint Strategy is aligned with Moldova's

National Development Strategy ("Moldova 2020")3.

European development cooperation partners are fully committed to the United Nations 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The

European Consensus for Development is the EU's response to the UN 2030 Agenda and recognises

the value of a Joint Programming approach which has the potential to strengthen coordination and

visibility of assistance.

In this framework, the European development cooperation partners' substantial commitments to

Moldova are expected to be met by comparable commitments from Moldova.

Jointly, the European Development cooperation partners and Moldova should

Focus on delivering tangible and visible results for citizens

Programme assistance within the framework of clear national sector strategies supported

by costed action plans, consistent with the State Budget

Ensure involvement of stakeholders, civil society and private sector

Ensure communication awareness and visibility of the support provided by European donors

and strengthen public diplomacy;

Ensure constructive and effective policy dialogue

Assistance shall continue to be bound to strict conditionalities, which will be regularly monitored

and evaluated.

This Joint Strategy reflects the efforts, consultations and contributions made by European

Development cooperation partners in Chisinau over the past two years. We look forward to

implementing this Joint Strategy in close partnership with the authorities in Moldova, civil society,

private sector and other development partners.

1 Hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Strategy"

2 European Union Delegation, EU Member States + Switzerland 3 The National Development Strategy is currently being evaluated and is due to be revised/replaced

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1. Overview

This document constitutes the European Joint Development Cooperation Strategy (Joint

Programming Document). It integrates the programming priorities of the EU and its Member States,

following their commitment to strengthening the efficiency, coherence, transparency, predictability

and visibility of the external assistance of the EU and its Member States4. The Joint Strategy does

not replace the bilateral strategies at this stage but is instead complementary and aims to provide

an overview of the joint strategic approach taken by the EU, its Member States and Switzerland. As

such, it aims to be a useful tool for the authorities in Moldova, partners and stakeholders.

The Joint Programming Process started in Moldova in 2015, when the EU, its Member States, and

Switzerland agreed to conduct a Joint Analysis of the country's economic and social development

context. The Joint Analysis was predicated on a common understanding of the political, economic

and social challenges facing Moldova. It comprised a detailed analysis of the then current status of

the reform process in twelve sectors within which, the resources of the European donors were

pooled to review the policy environment and priorities, the relevant articles and commitments in the

Association Agenda and the apparent opportunities for more effective programming. The analysis

also concerned the Transnistria issue, based on the EU's commitment to assist in attaining a

comprehensive, peaceful and sustainable settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, on the basis of the

sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognised

borders with a special status for Transnistria. The Joint Analysis was completed and presented to the

Government of Moldova in October 2016. It is a public document5 and underpins this Joint Strategy.

The Joint Strategy builds upon the shared views and objectives, and the existing and future financial

commitments of the European partners and is designed to ensure enhanced coordinated policy

dialogue, and joint monitoring of reform implementation in accordance with the EU – Republic of

Moldova commitments. The Joint Strategy aims to contribute to partnerships and policy dialogue

with like-minded, pro-reform actors, particularly Government officials at national and local levels,

civil society and the private sector. It is motivated by a mutual commitment to the common values of

democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, gender equality, good

governance, a functioning social market economy, and environmentally sustainable socio-economic

development. The strategy is aligned with the Government’s principal strategic document (Moldova

2020) and will support Moldova to capitalise upon the opportunities afforded by its Agreements

with the EU (AA/DCFTA/VLAP).

There are at least 18 European donors active and present in Moldova. The overall volume of

assistance provided is substantial. The EU alone provides more than half of the overall amount of

non-reimbursable assistance. In addition, the EU's bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB),

provides substantial amount of loan finance, often combined with EU grants.

4 Council Conclusions (12 May 2016 – Stepping up Joint Programming, p. 3) http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-8831-2016-INIT/en/pdf 5 https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/joint_analysis_0.pdf

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Taking this into account, the Joint Strategy is structured around four broad areas of intervention

encompassing the common strategic objectives of the EU, EU Member States and Switzerland and is

aligned with the new EU-Moldova Single Support Framework (SSF) 2017-20206:

1. Economic development and market opportunities including sustainable and inclusive

economic growth, social protection and health

2. Strengthening institutions and good governance including the Rule of Law and Security

3. Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change

4. Mobility and people-to-people contacts including support to the Visa Liberalisation

benchmarks and to education, training and research.

There are also three cross-cutting priorities: civil society, gender equality and strategic

communication.

It should be noted that the SSF remains the legal basis for EU support to the Republic of Moldova. It

foresees an indicative allocation of EUR 284 million to EUR 348 million to the priorities of the Joint

Strategy as follows: Allocation of EUR 99.4 million to EUR 121.8 million from SSF to priority 1,

allocation of EUR 56.8 million to EUR 69.6 million to priority 2, allocation of EUR 71 million to EUR 87

million to priority 3, allocation of EUR 28.4 million to EUR34.8 million to priority 4 and allocation of

EUR28.4 million to EUR 34.8 million to priority 5 (i.e. cross-cutting issues).

The remaining part of this document is structured as follows:

Section 2 below provides a brief overview of the development challenges in Moldova (that are

addressed in more depth in the Joint Analysis)

Section 3 outlines the overall strategic approach, general principles of cooperation and areas of

intervention

Section 4 provides more detail on the proposed approach in each of the four areas of intervention

and cross-cutting issues.

Annex 1 provides an overview of the main areas of intervention of different European donors.

6 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 13.9.2017 adopting a Single Support Framework for European Union support to the Republic

of Moldova for the period 2017-2020

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2. Development Context and Joint Analysis

The Joint Analysis carried out during 2016, and work carried out by other development partners has

led to a common understanding of the context, challenges and opportunities facing Moldova. This

section does not aim to repeat this in detail but instead provides an overview of the general context.

More detail on the specific sectoral challenges to be addressed is found in Section 4.

Political – relative stability provides a basis for taking reforms forward. Credibility, transparency

and accountability remain key challenges.

The current Government under Prime Minister Filip (Democratic Party) took office in January 2016.

Relative stability of the country allowed for the re-starting of reforms addressing some of the

concerns and recommendations expressed in the EU Council conclusions of February 2016. In

November 2016, Igor Dodon (The Party of Socialists) was elected as President by popular vote.

However, Moldova’s political and economic environment has not yet recovered from political

upheavals following the banking crisis in 2014. The sheer magnitude and scale of the fraud remains

in the forefront of the public’s consciousness and only adds urgency to the need for continued

reform. The banking crisis has fractured domestic and international confidence in Moldova’s

institutions, highlighting gaps in combatting corruption and ensuring accountability. The public

administration reform process which has been initiated in 2017 presents both opportunities to

improve the functioning of Moldova's institutions and also risks.

European Association and Economic Integration – a solid framework is in place. The new

Association Agenda sets out short and medium term priorities to be pursued

Resilience and transition to democracy and a social market economy are the EU's main political

priorities for Moldova, supporting the country's political, social and economic development

opportunities in a manner benefitting its citizens. Political association and economic integration

with the EU underpins these processes. More broadly, the EU Global Strategy adopted in 2016 states

that “The EU will strengthen the resilience of states and societies by supporting good governance,

accountable institutions, and working closely with civil society.”

The Association Agreement signed between the Government of Moldova and the EU in 2014, ratified

and in force since July 2016, provides the basis for this commitment towards fulfilling the mentioned

objectives. The Association Agreement is built on shared priorities, emphasising democracy, rule of

law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, good governance, a functioning market economy and

sustainable development

The EU Council Conclusions of 15 February 2016 on Moldova recommend “accelerated

implementation of the Association Agenda”, especially given critical delays in implementation of a

number of important reforms. Challenges to be tackled include addressing the politicisation of state

institutions, systemic corruption and strengthening the governance of the financial sector. To

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address those issues, the Government prepared in 2016 a first roadmap on priority reform actions.

While several legislative measures foreseen in the roadmap have been adopted, the reform process

should be continued, with a particular focus on genuine implementation of legislation and policies

with the aim of improving citizens' life. In December 2016, the Government approved a national plan

on the implementation of the Association Agreement /Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade

Agreement 2017-2019. A second roadmap on reform priorities was endorsed in July 2017. In August

2017, the EU and Moldova agreed a new Association Agenda 2017-2019 setting out reform

priorities. Implementing these reforms, taking advantage of both the Deep and Comprehensive Free

Trade Area to access the Single European Market and visa free travel (since 2014), gives Moldova

enormous opportunities for development and to improve livelihoods.

Economy – the IMF agreement has helped stabilise the economy which has returned to growth.

Challenges remain in improving governance of the financial sector and the business environment.

Moldova is a lower middle income country with a nominal GDP per capita of EUR 1,700 or EUR 4,795

PPP in 2016. Moldova ranks 107th out of 188 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI-

0.699 – 2016 HDI Report). Although the World Bank has reported that overall growth in the past

years has been volatile it was also rapid which has resulted in a significant reduction of poverty. Real

GDP grew at an average rate of 4.8% per annum in 2014, but the country slipped into recession at

the end of 2015 (-0.5%), as a result of the banking crisis, a severe drought, declining remittances,

and weaker external flows. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that growth has

returned in 2016 at 4.1% although forecasts that this is expected to moderate in 2017 (+3.5%).

Stabilisation of the economy depends on the implementation of the agreement approved by the IMF

Board in November 2016. The economic reform programme is supported by a three-year Extended

Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility (ECF/EFF) arrangement, valued at approximately EUR 160

million. It frames future reforms efforts which should inter alia contribute to preventing fraud in the

banking sector. Nevertheless, Moldova's economy faces a number of significant downside risks: the

slowdown in the Russian economy and stagnation in the Eurozone will continue to impact upon

export performance, weaker capital inflows and further reductions in remittances. These external

pressures are compounded by poor revenue collection, a fragile banking sector, and structural

problems in the non-banking financial sector. Despite this, the IMF assesses that Moldova's risk of

debt distress remains low, with overall debt dynamics sustainable. Total external debt now stands at

97.2% of GDP (2016) and public and publicly-guaranteed external debt is currently 43.3% of GDP.

The fiscal deficit was 2.1% in 2016.

Taking into account the residual financing needs under the IMF programme, the EU has prepared a

macro-financial assistance operation to Moldova of up to EUR 100 million (EUR 40 million in grants

and EUR 60 million in loans) to be disbursed in 2017-2018 provided that Moldova fulfils the

conditions and provided that the IMF programme remains on track.

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External Assistance – substantial external assistance is on offer from European partners but this

needs to be used more effectively by Moldova to support implementation of national strategies

European development partners in Moldova account for close to two thirds of reported

disbursements of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Moldova, as reported in the OECD’s

Development Assistance Committee Database. Combined disbursements average just over €410

million annually. In 2015/16 following the banking crisis, both the World Bank and EU suspended

Budget Support payments. These resumed at the end 2016, following the conclusion of the IMF

agreement. No further EU budget support programmes are foreseen and instead, assistance is

planned through other modalities and instruments. This means sharing expertise and providing

technical support (including through technical assistance and Twinning with EU Member States),

concrete support (in the form of supplies and investment into infrastructure), grants and credits

(including to civil society and businesses).

In order to take full advantage of assistance available, systems for planning, coordinating,

monitoring and implementing projects in Moldova should be strengthened. Priorities and indicative

allocations for financial assistance from the EU are included in the 2017-2020 Single Support

Framework (SSF) are connected to the priority actions set out by the new 2017-2019 Association

Agenda. Overall development cooperation is aligned with Moldova’s national development plan,

Moldova 2020 and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Communication – raising citizens' awareness of EU values, policies and assistance is key

Raising awareness among the citizens of Moldova about the benefits expected from political

association and economic integration with the EU, as well as tangible results of EU assistance

provided to the country is of key importance. This should be undertaken in the framework of the

Association Agreement and in cooperation with civil society and independent media. A strong need

for information on the effectiveness of EU support has been identified among the target audiences.

In addition to this, assisting the development of independent media outlets and regulatory

framework of the audiovisual market according to the EU standards is necessary for the benefit of

the citizens of Moldova.

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3. The European Joint Strategic Response

Overall Vision

Following the conclusion of the Joint Analysis, it became apparent that development co-operation

in Moldova must evolve beyond government-donor partnerships, and directly engage with citizens.

The public must feel the benefits of reforms, and it must experience a demonstrable improvement

in the quality of life, measured in improved public services (health, education, public transport,

social services) enhanced employment opportunities and increased disposable income. This entails

that programming focuses on visible and tangible benefits by building coalitions between citizens,

civil society, private sector and public servants.

European donors provide almost two thirds of official development assistance (ODA) to Moldova.

By working together and ensuring continued coordination with the Council of Europe, UN

institutions, the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, USAID and

other partners, European donors can help Moldova to improve effectiveness, ownership,

alignment with Government policies and mutual accountability for results. This rationale was

tested during intensive EU consultations with the Government on the 8th July and 21st September

2016 and civil society on the 23rd September 2016. There was a clear consensus that future

programming must deliver visible and tangible benefits for the citizens of Moldova.

General Principles of Cooperation and Conditionalities

In this framework, the European development cooperation partners' substantial commitments to

Moldova are expected to be met by comparable commitments from the Moldova.

Jointly, the European Development cooperation partners and Moldova should

Focus on delivering tangible and visible results for citizens

Programme assistance within the framework of clear national sector strategies supported

by costed action plans, consistent with the State Budget

Ensure involvement of stakeholders, civil society and private sector

Ensure communication awareness and visibility of the support provided by Europeans

donors and strengthen public diplomacy;

Ensure constructive and effective policy dialogue

The authorities in Moldova are expected to

Ensure that they have sufficient capacity to coordinate, implement and monitor jointly

agreed programmes and projects.

Pursue strongly its objective of closer association and economic integration with the

European Union and continue to implement policies pursuant of that objective and fulfil its

obligations under the EU-Moldova agreements in a timely and efficient manner

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The European Development cooperation partners also aim to

Strive to speak with ‘one voice’ where feasible at sector and national levels

Recognise that Government capacity is limited, as is that of international development

partners: programming is more effective the more focused it becomes. Accordingly,

resources should be concentrated around a smaller number of Areas of Intervention;

Support own efforts of authorities in Moldova and make use of innovative forms of

development financing, leveraging private sector investments and mobilising additional

domestic resources for development

Assistance shall continue to be bound to strict conditionalities, which will be regularly monitored

and evaluated.

Choice of Areas of Intervention

Taking this into account, the Joint Strategy is structured around four broad areas of intervention

encompassing the common strategic objectives of the EU, EU Member States and Switzerland and is

aligned with the EU-Moldova Single Support Framework 2017-2020 to allow for easy comparability

of the documents:

1. Economic development and market opportunities including sustainable and inclusive

economic growth, social protection and health: indicatively 25-30% of assistance

The objective is to stimulate smart, sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development,

reduce absolute and relative poverty through improving the business environment and investment

climate, and create jobs and to facilitate trade with the EU. Also to support Moldova to provide

adequate social and health services to the population.

Given the revised ENP, support for sustainable, inclusive and smart economic growth has emerged

as the crucial issue in Moldova. The need to improve the business climate and to unlock innovation

and investment potential is reinforced by the Association Agreement, including a DCFTA, and has

been presented as a tool for modernisation and promoting prosperity.

2. Strengthening institutions and good governance including the Rule of Law and Security:

indicatively 10-15% of assistance

The objective is to promote good governance, democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the

Republic of Moldova (in line with the Association Agreement), and to strengthen Moldova's state

and societal resilience including against security threats, such as hybrid threats, and to secure

Moldova's international borders and contribute to a comprehensive resolution of the Transnistrian

conflict.

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Effective and accountable public administration and justice are crucial not only to fulfil Moldova's

reform aspirations and to effectively implement the EU-Moldova Agreements, but also for political

stability and to gain citizen and investor confidence. The public perception of corruption among civil

servants, including those serving in the judiciary, is very high. The security situation in Moldova

leaves room for improvement, in particular with regard to organised crime and to the

implementation of the security reform.

3. Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change: indicatively 25-30% of

assistance

The objective is to support better connectivity with the EU in the areas of transport and energy,

support energy efficiency, resilience and energy security of Moldova and to address environmental

challenges and contribute to mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Supporting better energy connectivity with the EU is essential to address the current low level of

energy supply security and diversification. Developing the internal energy market and ensuring

independence of the national energy regulator is also key. Transport infrastructure requires

investment with a view to improving access of the population, especially in rural areas, to social

services and access to markets. In addition, new transport infrastructure is needed to ensure greater

connectivity with the EU and to stimulate economic activity and trade. Sustainable management of

natural resources (including energy efficiency) is also underdeveloped in Moldova. Implementation

of the commitments stemming from the Association Agreement, the Energy Community Treaty as

well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change will also be supported.

4. Mobility and people-to-people contacts including support to the Visa Liberalisation

benchmarks and to education, training and research: indicatively 10-15% of assistance

The objective is to enhance and facilitate the mobility of citizens, develop the skills of the younger

generation, strengthen the coordination between the education and training system and the labour

market and stimulate competitiveness, research and innovation as enablers to economic

development, while also targeting social inclusion in education and labour.

Moldova was the first Eastern Neighbour to benefit from visa-free regime with the EU. Development

of stronger ties between the labour market and the education and training system and between the

private sector and research are needed to support smart and sustainable economic development.

5. Cross-cutting issues including strengthening civil society, promoting human rights and

gender equality and to improve communication with citizens: indicatively 10% of assistance

The objective is to strengthen civil society’s capacity to play an effective role in policy dialogue,

implementation and monitoring at national and local levels, and to contribute to private sector

development, sustainable economic growth and social innovation; assistance will be provided to

promote human rights and gender equality; greater emphasis will be placed on improving

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communication with citizens by raising visibility and awareness of the tangible benefits resulting

from European development assistance, and implementing public diplomacy campaigns.

The specific objectives of the Joint Strategy in each of the above areas are detailed in Section 4

below.

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4. Areas of Intervention and division of labour

4.1 Area of Intervention 1: Economic Development including Market Opportunities

The European donors presently active in this area include: Austria, the Czech Republic, the EIB, the

EU, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Business Environment and Trade – the DCFTA offers significant economic opportunities for

business, but requires further development of an efficient and transparent regulatory environment

and support to SMEs

The immediate challenge is to increase competitiveness and export potential, taking advantage of

the opportunities offered by the DCFTA. Additional efforts are needed to improve investment

attraction and protection as a main driver of competitiveness and export capacity. This in turn

requires the proper and transparent functionality of the institutions involved in regulation and

supervision of the business environment based on the rule of law (and in particular in the SPS,

energy, competition and justice sectors).

The overall objective of this Area of Intervention is to assist Moldova to capitalise upon the

opportunities afforded by the AA/DCFTA and facilitate access to EU markets. Trade, rather than

remittances, is the basis for sustainable economic development, wealth creation, inclusive growth

and the expansion of employment. A shared priority of the European donors and Moldova's

Government is to ensure that such opportunities are equally accessible to men and women, and thus

gender equality should be actively promoted in both policy and programming.

The timely and effective implementation of the DCFTA is therefore critically important. If Moldova is

to exploit the opportunity to enter the European Single Market, it will need to tackle administrative

and technical barriers to trade (customs, border management, standards, metrology, accreditation,

food safety, sanitary, and phytosanitary measures), apply EU competition and state aid rules, and

approximate legislation and Directives. In many instances, Moldova's agencies are ill-equipped in

financial, technical and human resources to take on these challenges and are therefore reliant upon

external assistance.

However, taking advantage of, and extracting greater value from the opportunities presented by the

conclusion of the DCFTA, will require more than simply approximating legislation and building

institutional capacity. Moldova will need to grow a vibrant SME sector capable of entering the

European Single Market. This in turn will necessitate improving the regulatory environment for

investment and business start-ups and growth. It will entail improving SME access to affordable

finance, developing value chains, improving productivity, quality and value-added. The agriculture

sector will need to diversify production and increase both the quantity and quality of outputs, while

agri-businesses will need to improve their product ranges. Moreover, if Moldova is to compete not

only on the European market, but also penetrate the global market more widely, it will need to

ensure that its communication networks operate efficiently, hence the need to invest in the digital

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economy. Special attention should also be paid to diversifying the labour market in rural areas, and

curbing economic emigration, e.g. by tapping into local resources to generate non-agriculture

revenue

Rural Poverty and Regional Disparities - more job opportunities at local and regional level are

needed to tackle absolute and relative poverty

Agriculture accounts for 16.1% of GDP and 33.7% of the active labour population continue to derive

their living from primary agriculture including subsistence activities (2016). In 2014, approximately

11.4% of the total population were estimated as living below the absolute poverty line. Absolute and

relative poverty is particularly acute amongst the rural population, the elderly living alone and larger

(5+) households in the urban areas. This reflects the continued dependence upon agriculture as a

primary source of household income and the continued high levels of under-employment. The GINI

coefficient stands at 26.8.

Rural poverty - Moldova’s economy fails to provide sufficient income sources for its rural population.

The poverty incidence among rural inhabitants is significantly higher than among the urban

population. In rural areas, 18.8% of the population was poor in 2013. In urban areas, this figure was

only 4.6%. Although poverty rates generally declined in recent years, the gap between urban and

rural areas persists. In 2013, farmers and agricultural workers together accounted for 40% of

Moldova’s poor.

Regional disparity – Moldova's regional macroeconomic indicators show strong disparities of

regional GDP per capita between different development regions. The growth rate of the Centre and

North regions is around 5% while that of the South region is less than 1%. Agriculture is the

commercial activity that generates the most value added outside of the Chisinau region. Only in the

North region the value added generated by service activities slightly exceeds agriculture activities,

mainly due to the contribution of commerce in the city of Balti. The Centre region compared to both

North and South regions, show significant differences in agricultural productivity, revealing

apparently two different productive systems.

Social Protection and Health – reform are needed in order to ensure financial sustainability of the

systems

Moldova’s social protection sector is undergoing major reforms aimed at transforming the category

based social assistance into a more efficient poverty targeting system. One of the major reforms in

the social sector area is the pension reform. The overall objective of the pension reform is to ensure

the functioning of a fair and sustainable pension system that will guarantee a decent life for pension

beneficiaries. The other important reform is targeting persons with disabilities. The disability

evaluation method is changing from one based on medical criteria to a social model. Social service

provisions shifted from institutional care to community care and expansion of the social services

web now includes new vulnerabilities. However, finances available for the sector are decreasing and

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social insurance fund has critical level of deficit. The existing social infrastructure is not adapted to

the required changes.

Moldova’s health system aims to ensure universal access of basic health services with equity and

solidarity in health financing to all citizens. Expanding coverage with mandatory health insurance is a

priority and essential to financial sustainability. Financial protection of Moldova’s citizens should be

strengthened through increased public expenditures on medicines. More efficient use of available

resources at all levels of care is critical in this regard.

In order to improve the quality of services and ensure universal access of basic health services a

series of reforms have been launched targeting: (i) hospital sector, including an updated hospital

master plan and action planning; (ii) Primary Health Care (PHC) strengthening through development

of a new PHC strategy; (iii) Public Health through a package of reforms, including reorganisation of

structures, human resources, tasks and services at each administrative level; (iv) pharmaceutical

sector, aiming at harmonise with the EU regulations, with special focus on the Law on Medicines, the

Law on Medical Devices, and the Law on Pharmaceutical Sector Activity, and building the core

regulatory capacities as well as addressing from a system perspective the selection and use, pricing

and reimbursement and procurement and distribution of medicines; (v) health financing and

provider payments, including strategic purchasing of services and payment for performance; and (vi)

quality of care.

In this context, the European donors have targeted their interventions at the following:

Economic Development (Chapter 3 Joint Analysis)

Improved quality of products and services

Wider access to foreign markets and increased exports through reducing technical and

administrative barriers to trade and ensuring compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary

services (SPS) standards in the context of the DCFTA

Enhanced national policies that allow sustainable and socially balanced employment and income

growth

Competitive ICT sector supported through consolidation of skills for ICT jobs to address market

demand;

Enhanced regulatory framework of the ICT sector

Increase productivity of SMEs and production of higher value added products by SMEs,

improved quality standards;

Facilitated emergence of start-ups in strategic sectors including by using the potential of the

digital economy, and enhanced innovation and technology transfer towards businesses;

Developed rural SME sector with focus on micro/small /medium size enterprises through

stimulation of job creation in less favoured areas, including in particular rural areas.

Agriculture, food safety and rural development (Chapter 12 Joint Analysis)

Strengthening of the institutional capacity to pursue better policies and provide better services

in agriculture and rural development

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Upgrading competitiveness of the agri-food sector

Ensuring sustainable management of natural resources and responding to environmental and

climate related challenges through mitigation and adaptation

Improving living standards in rural areas

Social Protection and Health

The most in need are covered by social services which are provided in an efficient way

Adequate social support provided to most in need

Health services are efficiently organised, of quality, patient focused and there is collaboration

with social care services

The health system is well managed and financed and protects population from excessive health

expenditures

Population reduces unhealthy behaviour and holds health services accountable

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4.2 Area of Intervention 2: Strengthening Institutions and Good Governance

The European donors presently active in this area include: Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the

EU, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia,

Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The objectives are to ensure the Rule of Law, continue the introduction of key judicial reforms,

tackle corruption at all levels within the system, improve democratic governance at national and

local levels, strengthen security and increase the Government’s capacity to effectively respond to

natural and man-made disasters.

Justice and Corruption – there is an urgent need to tackle corruption and accelerate judicial

reforms

The Corruption Perception Index demonstrates low level of transparency (Moldova is ranked 123 out

of 176 in 2016) which has decreased since 2012. Tackling corruption, particularly at the higher levels,

ranks second to unemployment and low pay as the primary concern of citizens in Moldova. The

prevention and punishment of corrupt practices is essential if Moldova is to become a fair and just

democratic society. Whilst the Government has approved a new National Strategy on Anti-

corruption (2017-2020), its development and actual impact on society remains to be analysed

carefully. Key reforms in public administration and most notably in the rule of law sector are needed

to ensure, among other elements, that: public employees are recruited through open, transparent

and merit-based procedures; in the judiciary sector, defendants must have access to an effective

legal aid system; improvements are made to the administration and technical infrastructure of the

courts; and that court decisions are transparent, equitable and effectively enforced.

Democratic Governance and Public Administration Reform - the implementation of the Public

Administration Reform Strategy is essential to improve public services and public financial

management

Following the adoption of the Public Administration Reform Strategy (2017-2020) in June 2016, the

Government has committed to reform the governance system in Moldova at all levels, increase

accessibility, transparency, responsiveness and accountability, and enhance the range and quality of

services provided to citizens. The first milestone was the reform of the Government (approved by

the Parliament on July 2017). The second milestone will be the optimisation of Government

structures. The third main milestone will be the local public administration reform, which is foreseen

to be adopted before the local elections of spring 2019.

PAR reform will also entail improvements to economic governance, ensuring that commercial laws

and regulations are applied rigorously and a level playing-field between public and private sector

enterprises is established and maintained.

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A vibrant democracy also requires the existence of a strong Parliament and Court of Accounts to

provide oversight of Government policies and expenditures, an independent media to scrutinise and

hold to account public bodies and officials, and an active citizenry, including vibrant civil society

organisations eager to participate in public affairs. To perform these functions, people need

unrestrained access to information and reliable data. Strengthening the range and quality of official

statistics will be essential if citizens are to become more engaged and the Government is to achieve

its goal of information-driven policy-making.

Economic Governance – increased transparency and sound public financial management are

critical to build confidence in how public resources are managed

Whilst progress has been made in the implementation of the Strategy for Development of Public

Finance Management 2013-2020, outstanding challenges faced by the public financial management

system in the short run include: need to meet the budget calendar; need to improve the efficiency

and transparency of the public procurement system; need to increase of efficiency of internal

control and audit system as well as external audit; need to develop an effective parliamentary

budget oversight. In the medium to long term the authorities should safeguard fiscal sustainability

by making new fiscal rules effective and by developing government securities market. The medium

term budget process needs to be improved to better reflect national strategies. There is a need

simplify tax and customs system and reduce tax avoidance and fraud as well as increase efficiency of

tax and customs administrations. There is also a need to implement public sector accounting

reforms in line with IPSAS and increase efficiency and transparency of State Owned Enterprises.

Human Rights – key actions should be undertaken to improve the human rights situation

During the last one and a half years the human rights situation in Moldova deteriorated, according to

the Human Rights and Democracy Country Strategy 2016-2020. Progress is slow in the field of

human rights due to a lack of awareness and understanding of issues, resources, capacities and

willingness to mainstream the topic in policy. The previous action plan on Human Rights for 2011-

2014 was not properly implemented and civil society organisations lack the capacity and necessary

organisation to be an effective counter-weight. A new Action Plan on Human Rights 2018 – 2022 was

adopted on 7 November 2017.

Moldova is periodically condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, mainly for length of

proceedings and conditions of detention. The key EU priorities in the domain of human rights are:

justice reform, fighting corruption, combatting torture and ill-treatment, including the establishment

of a fully-fledged National Preventive Mechanism against torture, fighting discrimination, ensuring

media freedom, deinstitutionalisation of children and guardianship reform.

18

Police Reform – adequate resources need to be made available by the authorities in Moldova to

implement the ongoing reform

Following the adoption of the National Strategy for Police Development (2016-2020) in May 2016,

which included an elaborate Action Plan, the Government repeatedly reconfirmed its firm intent on

driving the reform forward. The exercise's main aim consists of shifting the Police force away from

being a power organisation towards a more citizen oriented service. To do so, the Reform's first

efforts are now focusing on strengthening the organisation's accountability, transparency, efficiency

and professionalism.

A second important pillar concerns substantially improving, with the help of the international donor

community, the basic and in-service training Police personnel receives. To that end, preparations

are ongoing to establish a brand new Joint Law Enforcement Training that will meet these needs.

Respect for victims' and police detainees' basic human rights will be a core part the future police

training curriculum. A third major component aims at bringing the Police closer to the citizens in

Moldova and at better catering to local needs. The main instrument to do so will be the

implementation of the Community Policing concept.

Modern governments must be responsive to the risks posed by terrorism, cyber-crime and illicit

trafficking in persons, drugs, firearms and hazardous materials. For the most part, these are trans-

boundary issues and will necessitate close international co-operation in order to map potential risks

and introduce prevention, adaptation and mitigation measures.

In this context, the European donors have targeted their interventions at the following:

Justice and home affairs (Chapter 5 Joint Analysis)

Sub-Sector 1: Judiciary and rule of law

To consolidate the integrity of justice sector related professions

To consolidate the court management and improve dispute resolution procedures

Sub-Sector 2: Police and law enforcement

To strengthen Police's accountability, transparency, efficiency and professionalism

Community policing concept implemented in line with the best international standards

Sub-Sector Human -Rights and minorities

Enhanced national mechanisms for human rights protection and promotion

Enhanced protection of minorities rights

Democratic Governance and Public Administration (Chapters 1 & 4 Joint Analysis)

• Democratic Governance is improved.

19

• Public Administration Reform is promoted for an efficient, effective, transparent and

accountable public administration

• Public finance management is strengthened.

• Efficiency and transparency of public procurement are improved

• Transparency of management of public resources is improved.

• The corruption perceived in the Republic of Moldova is significantly decreased by strengthening

the mechanisms for effective fight against corruption

Economic Governance (Chapter 2 Joint Analysis)

Supervision, corporate governance and risk management in the financial sector are enhanced

Transparency of management of public resources is improved

20

4.3 Area of Intervention 3: Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate

change

The European donors presently active in this area include: Austria, the Czech Republic, the EU, EIB,

Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland

The overall objectives are to support Moldova’s capacity to extract maximum benefit from the

increased trading opportunities offered by the conclusion of the DCFTA and the opening up of

possibilities for greater regional integration; to ensure energy security, supply, efficiency and

sustainability; to promote sound environmental stewardship, notably with respect to water, and

solid waste management; and to manage the impact of climate change and extreme weather events

through the development and implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures.

Transport – further investment is needed to upgrade infrastructure

In order to strengthen its trading position, Moldova will need to improve its local, national and

neighbourhood transport and communications networks. This will entail significant investments in

upgrading its road, rail and air transport infrastructure, and to a lesser degree in exploiting access to

the Black Sea through the Giurgiulesti free port on the river Danube. It will also require the further

development of supply and distribution chains and facilities. Moldova also has a poor road safety

record and this needs to be addressed.

Energy – work is ongoing to build energy connections with the EU and improve energy efficiency

Moldova has limited domestic capacity to generate energy and historically has been largely

dependent upon the importation of oil and gas from the Russian Federation. This has left the

country vulnerable to disruptions in supply and politically-motivated price fluctuations. In recent

years, the Government has pursued a number of policies designed to ensure energy security through

the diversification of energy generation (biomass and wind), the identification of alternative supply

sources (trans-boundary supply from Romania, oil and gas through Giurgiulesti) and improved

energy efficiency (better performing district heating systems, more efficient usage of energy in

public buildings). The European donors will continue to support Moldova in implementing measures

targeted at energy security, cost-efficiency and diversification of supply sources including sustainable

and renewable energy sources

Environment and Climate Change - Climate change and management of natural resources,

especially water, are the main challenges in Moldova

The overarching effects of climate change coupled with degradation of soils and depletion of natural

resources resulting from human activities are increasingly put pressure on the carrying capacity of

the environment in Moldova. At the same time extreme events such as floods and droughts are

expected to become more frequent with climate change and which would further undermine the

overall resilience of eco-systems. In spite of the decreasing population, the poor management of

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natural resources, especially water is the major challenge. This is due to the conflicting legitimate

interests of protecting and exploiting the resources, but also due to limited investments in green

infrastructure and protection measures. This eventually results in loss of valuable assets with direct

negative economic effects and also represents a missed opportunity, for example in terms of green

business or sustainable tourism. Air quality is so far the least addressed environmental issue in

Moldova, with a very weak monitoring system in place and no clear policy.

The recent catastrophic snowfalls of April 2017 revealed how vulnerable Moldova is to extreme

weather events and the vagaries of climate change. Moldova is committed to the Paris Agreement

on Climate Change and is actively pursuing initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions, develop a

Greenhouse Gas Emission strategy, and develop climate change adaptation and mitigation

measures. The Government is also developing and implementing water and waste management

strategies and discussing trans-boundary water resource management issues with its neighbours.

That said, Moldova’s social and technical infrastructure is aged, inefficient and in urgent need of

upgrading. This will require substantial financial investment and the sharing of expertise.

In this context, the European donors have targeted their interventions at the following:

Transport (Chapter 11 Joint Analysis)

Full Transposition and practical Implementation of the EU-MD Common Aviation Area

Agreement

Improved Road Network and improved connections to the extended TEN-T network

Railway sector rehabilitated and more competitive

Maritime sector competitive and aligned with international standards

Energy (Chapter 11 Joint Analysis)

Increased Energy Efficiency and Development of Renewable Energies

Improved Market Functioning and Connection to EU Energy Market

Ensuring independence of the national energy regulator

Environment and Climate Change (Chapter 10 Joint Analysis)

Water and Sanitation: Supporting Moldova in the process of meeting the objectives of MD's

National Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy (2014-2028)

Waste Management: Supporting Moldova in the process of meeting the objectives of MD's

National Waste Management Strategy (2013-2027)

Climate Change: Supporting Moldova to meet objectives of the chapters on environment and

climate (chapter 16 & 17) of the Association Agreement with EU

Environmental Protection and DRR: Reduction of environmental risks

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4.4 Area of Intervention 4: Mobility and People to People contacts

The European donors presently active in this area include: Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the

EIB, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania,

Slovakia, Switzerland and the UK.

The overall objectives are to assist Moldova to continue to fulfil the benchmarks of the Visa

Liberalisation Action Plan and the Mobility Partnership; ensure safe movement of people across

borders; engage with, and create opportunities for, young people; ensure synergy between the

needs of the labour market and the skills and qualifications offered by the education, vocational

education and training systems; promote cultural diversity and inter-cultural exchange; and support

research and innovation.

Population and Migration - continued outward migration poses demographic challenges and skills

shortages in the labour market.

The Labour market faces challenges in terms of matching demand and supply. Strong economic

growth and new market related opportunities are not being sufficiently capitalised on, as the growth

is often ‘jobless’ or even growth with shrinking employment opportunities and/or low level of

decent and declared jobs 'creation. Official unemployment was at 4.2 % of the active population in

2016 and continues to decrease (4.9% in 2015) but at the same time the employment rate is low by

European standards. The Labour force survey 2016 estimates undeclared work to be most common

in Agriculture (40,8%) and trade activities (23,2%). Those trends seem to be difficult to reverse

because of the labour migration which stays high. This has resulted in something of a vicious cycle,

with remittances softening the blow of the government’s inability to translate growth into

livelihoods. Remittances fell by 27% in 2015 but levelled off in 2016 – still accounting for up to one

quarter of total GDP. The problem is that as the trend continues, Moldova’s population, as well as its

productive capacity, is hollowing out, with an accordant impact on national revenue. An urgent

national priority is thus the attraction of investment and the creation of high quality jobs.

Visa liberalisation – offers real opportunities for study, tourism and business

An Action Plan on visa liberalisation was adopted by the European Council and presented to the

Moldova's Government in January 2011. The Government subsequently approved an internal

agenda for the implementation of the Action Plan and achieved the benchmarks for Phase 1. The

European Commission recommended that permission be given to proceed to the implementation of

Phase 2 in June 2012. The implementation of Phase 2 was completed successfully in November

2013, when the European Commission reported that all benchmarks had been achieved. From the

28th April 2014, citizens of Moldova were granted the right to enter and travel throughout the

23

European Union without visas7. The challenge for Moldova will be to sustain the benchmarks of the

Visa Liberalization Action Plan and fulfil the requirements of the Mobility Partnership.

Education and Youth – development of human capital and providing opportunities for young

people is fundamental

The development of human capital will be fundamental to the future development of the economy

in Moldova. Providing sustainable employment opportunities and equipping young people with the

necessary skills and education to fill the jobs created, is central to countering labour migration and

re-establishing social cohesion. Engaging young people in all spheres of society, (political, economic,

cultural and social), is essential for the renewal and growth of Moldova.

Investing in formal and informal education and training is the basis for the development of vibrant,

modern labour market. At present there is a substantial mismatch between the skills demanded in

the labour market and educational throughput. If synergies are to be achieved, greater support will

be required to strengthen labour market institutions, improve the quality of labour market data and

forecasting and engage employers more directly in the development of curricula and the

implementation of training programmes. Moreover, the vocational education and training system in

Moldova needs to be more closely aligned with the needs of the labour market through the

introduction of work-based learning, apprenticeships, life-long learning, adult and continuing

education, the validation of non-formal and informal learning and strengthening of counselling

services. These initiatives will need to be underpinned by active labour market measures married to

social safety nets, in order to facilitate reintegration of job seekers into the labour market. Specific

attention will also need to be paid to social inclusion, ensuring equitable access to the labour market

for socially disadvantaged and marginalised groups.

Culture and Media

Culture is the foundation stone of social cohesion and intercultural exchange is the basis of inter-

regional co-operation, stability and security. The EU and its Member States celebrate cultural

diversity and intercultural dialogue and are investing in the restoration of buildings, the

development of the creative industries and peer-to-peer exchange.

In addition to this, assisting the development of independent media outlets and regulatory

framework of the audiovisual market according to the EU standards is necessary, for the benefit of

the citizens of Moldova.

Research and Innovation

The EU Member States have learned that joint co-operation in research and development is not only

cost-effective, but is an important stimulus for the development of innovative products and services.

7 This also includes non-EU members of Schengen (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) but

excludes UK and Ireland

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Innovation is the bedrock of competitiveness in the global economy. If Moldova is to develop higher-

value-added products and services, it will need to participate in joint Research and Development

(R&D) activities with EU Member States and regional partners and quickly assimilate the results into

the economy. In this respect it is important to increase synergies between research, innovation and

the public and private sectors.

In this context, the European donors are currently targeting their interventions at the following:

Justice and home affairs (Chapter 5 Joint Analysis)

Sub-Sector Migration and Asylum (border management)

Enhanced Migration Management

Enhanced Border Management

Mobility

Continued fulfilment of the benchmarks of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan and the Mobility

Partnership;

Continued support to the development of Integrated Border Management, the work of EUBAM

and the construction/reconstruction of Border Crossing Points.

Youth

Initiatives to engage Moldova's youth in “people-to-people” activities within the EU and the

neighbourhood;

Targeted support to promote youth leadership, entrepreneurship and employability.

Employment and Education

Improved Labour Market Governance

Moldova's VET (Vocational Education and Training) system has higher relevance and is more

attractive

Moldova's VET system ensures equal opportunities for all learners

Create adequate normative and institutional framework to encourage demand-driven VET, with

a focus on dual VET

Culture and Media (Chapter 8 Joint Analysis)

Fostering social cohesion through culture

Creating an enabling environment for the development of cultural and creative sectors

Research and Innovation

Development of R&D networks between Moldova, the EU and the neighbourhood;

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Elaboration of Research and Innovation policies designed to strengthen institutional capacity,

build a supportive infrastructure and foster public/private research and industry partnerships

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4.5 Cross-cutting issues

The European donors presently active in this area include: Austria, the Czech Republic, the EU,

Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland.

Civil Society - Legal constraints and poor institutional capacity impeding CSO development in the

Republic of Moldova

The context of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Moldova is fragile. CSOs have an important role to

play in policy development and monitoring as well as providing services to citizens. For the time

being, foreign donors are the main source of income for CSOs in Moldova. Hence it is important to

focus the attention on the improvement of the legislative framework which will enable local CSOs to

access domestic funds through different mechanisms. Poor capacity is also hindering CSO

development as there is lack of basic project management skills such as financial management,

planning strategies and priorities, writing reports or fundraising. Moreover there is no overall vision,

framework or action plan regarding capacity building at the national, regional and local levels. CSOs

often deplore bureaucratic obstacles to their operations.

The civil society landscape in Moldova comprises a large number of formally constituted and

registered urban-based organisations (10,296 in 2016) with limited financial and human resources

and very low levels of activity. Approximately 80%-90% of them are financed by ODA. CSOs in

Moldova face a number of challenges: They have little formal access to policy dialogue, limited

financial capacities and citizens’ trust in CSOs remains low. Only 24.2% of Moldova's citizens

expressed ‘some trust’ or ‘very much trust’ in non-governmental organisations.

Within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, two civil society platforms have been

established to monitor the implementation of the Association Agreement: Moldova's National

Platform for the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (2011) and the EU-Moldova Civil Society

Platform. The latter comprises nine CSOs, including trade unions and environmental organisations.

The EU Delegation to Moldova has elaborated an EU Country Road Map for engagement with Civil

Society 2014-2017, in order to guide its support to the strengthening of civil society’s capacity to

contribute to policy formulation and monitoring and service delivery at national and local levels. The

Road Map is presently being updated.

The EU and Member States will provide support to strengthen the institutional and human resource

capacities of CSOs in Moldova and ensure that they are sustainable and capable of mobilising their

own resources. They will assist CSOs in playing a prominent role in overseeing government policies,

legislation and use of public funds, increasing the transparency and accountability of central and

local administrations, monitoring the implementation of policies, programmes and projects, and

delivering services to Moldova's citizens. CSOs will also be encouraged to support the development

of community-based activities and local leaders. For further information see also Chapter 9 Joint

Analysis.

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Gender - Violence against women and access to labour market remain major challenges

The legal framework for equality between women and men is fairly well developed in Moldova and

Moldova scored 1.01 on the Gender Development Index (2016 HDI Report). However, although

gender mainstreaming in public policies exists ‘on paper’ it is weak at implementation level. Impact

of policies on gender equality is often overlooked by the authorities. Political will in promoting

gender equality reforms is limited. Although Moldova performs well in some areas of gender

equality, such as education, disparities persist in the health and employment areas. Women

continue to face significant challenges in accessing decent work opportunities, equal remuneration,

representation in the public, political and private sector decision-making levels. Violence against

women is persisting and is of high prevalence. Several laws within the legal framework for gender

equality in Moldova require amendments to meet European standards on non-discrimination.

In October 2015, the Gender Action Plan II (GAP II) was adopted by the European Commission and

European External Action Service and endorsed by the Foreign Affairs Development Council. Its aim

is to provide the framework during the period 2016-2020 for a common EU approach to gender

equality in the EU’s external relations. The objectives of GAP II are to ensure the physical and

psychological well-being of women and girls and promote their economic and social rights; and to

empower girls and women and strengthen their voice and participation in public affairs.

In September 2016, the EU Delegation prepared a gender analysis report outlining the gender

situation in Moldova, the legal and institutional framework, gaps in legislation and policies. Together

with Sweden and Austria, the EU Delegation developed a Gender Action Plan with the following

thematic objectives:

Girls and women are free from all forms of violence against them (VAWG) both in the public

and in the private sphere;

Equal access for girls and women to all levels of quality education and vocational education

and training (VET) free from discrimination;

Equal access by women to financial services, productive resources including land, trade and

entrepreneurship;

Equal access and control over clean water, energy, transport infrastructure, and equitable

engagement in their management, enjoyed by girls and women;

Equal rights and ability for women to participate in policy and governance processes at all

levels.

These objectives are linked to projects that have a gender component within them. From 2017

onwards, progress will be monitored on an annual basis. For further information see also baseline

study in the Joint Analysis.

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Communication – raising citizens' awareness of EU values, policies and assistance is key

In February 2016, the European Council in its Conclusions stated that: Effective, strategic

communication, including in cooperation with civil society and independent media, on the reforms

achieved and to be undertaken in the framework of the Association Agreement including its Deep

and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, is of key importance to raise awareness among the citizens of

the Republic of Moldova about benefits expected from political association and economic integration

with the European Union8. Currently communication of EU and Member State policies and co-

operation programmes is rather diffuse and fragmented. It tends to be done through projects,

which communicate their results and actions individually, often using traditional approaches,

different messages, and simply targeting their immediate beneficiaries rather than the general

public. There is a need to channel EU and Member State communication in a more strategic

direction, with a greater focus on dialogue with the public, in order to draw attention to the tangible

and immediate impact of EU and Member State support upon their daily lives, to highlight the

contribution made by the EU and Member States to the reform processes, and to emphasise the

value-added that closer political and economic integration with the EU will bring to Moldova.

8 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/02/15-fac-moldova-conclusions/

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ANNEX 1: Overview of European Donors' main areas of intervention

Economic development and market opportunities including sustainable and inclusive economic growth, social protection and health

Strengthening institutions and good governance including the Rule of Law and Security

Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change

Mobility and people-to-people contacts including support to the Visa Liberalisation benchmarks and to education, training and research

Cross cutting issues including strengthening civil society, promoting human rights and gender equality and to improve strategic communication, including the one with citizens

Economic

Development

(Chapter 3 Joint

Analysis)

EU, Germany,

Sweden

Justice and home

affairs (Chapter 5

Joint Analysis)

Estonia, EU,

France, Hungary,

Latvia,

Netherlands,

Romania,

Sweden, UK

Transport

(Chapter 11 Joint

Analysis)

EIB, EU,

Romania

Visa Liberalisation

Estonia, EU, France, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Sweden, Romania, UK

Civil Society (Chapter 9 Joint Analysis)

Austria, Czech Republic, EU, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Sweden, UK

Agriculture, food

safety and rural

development

(Chapter 12 Joint

Analysis)

Austria, Czech Republic,EU Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania,

Democratic

Governance and

Public

Administration

(Chapters 1 & 4

Joint Analysis)

Austria, Czech

Republic, Estonia,

EU, Germany,

Latvia, Lithuania,

Netherlands,

Poland, Romania,

Switzerland

Energy (Chapter

11 Joint Analysis)

EIB, EU,

Romania,

Sweden

Migration and

Asylum (border

management)

Austria, Czech Republic, EU, Italy, Romania

Gender

Austria, EU, Lithuania, Sweden, Czech Republic

Mobility

France, EU, Romania

Social Protection

and Health

(Chapter 6 Joint

Analysis)

Austria, Czech Republic, EIB, EU, Germany, Switzerland

Economic

Governance

(Chapter 2 Joint

Analysis)

Austria, EU,

Netherlands,

Slovakia, UK

Environment and

Climate Change

(Chapter 10 Joint

Analysis)

Austria, Czech

Republic, EIB,

EU

Germany,

Slovakia,

Switzerland,

Sweden,

Romania

Youth

EU Communication EU The most active EUMS working to improve communication: UK, Sweden, Germany

Employment and

Education

(Chapter 7 Joint

Analysis)

Austria, EU, Germany, Lichtenstein, Romania, Switzerland

Culture and Media

(Chapter 8 Joint

Analysis)

Czech Republic, France, EU Romania, Switzerland, UK

Research and

Innovation

EU